The Portland daily press., 1887-12-14
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Van Tells Of Matters Which Attract
Public Attention.
Presents from Abroad Not Received
at the White House.
Senator ChandIer's Bill to Regulate
Southern Elections.
Especial to the Press. ]

southern EIecttonS.
Especial to the Press.l
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.-The Treasury
Department is run on strict Democratic doc
trine and one of its chief principles 10 that
no Democrat ever fails. A very pretty sam
pie of this is the way in which Eugene Hig-
gins is being slid out Of his office, and goes
to his and Germans Maryland once more.
But as he goes the announcement Is made
with repeared vigor that it is not because
the critics of the administration so desire
The officials have waited until the critics
grew weary of hammering away at Higgins,
and in this breathing spell suddenly appears
and says, "Here is Higgins We refused to
be forced into dropping him. He has really
wanted to go, but has had to remain In
order to vindicate himself" In spite OF all
the Difference to Higgins it will be noted
with amusement that his actual dismissal is
widely advertised. The new secretary Of
the treasury is the real author of this bit of
politics, It is said. The reasons are very
much IN favor of believing such statement.
Mr.. Fairchild is cool and clear. He makes
his plans and there is not a more stubborn
man in the Cabinet about carrying them
ont
The greatest interest in Cabinet politics
just now. however. centres about Villas and
Dickinson. Both are expected to make
good many changes. 1t seems pretty sure
that Villas will take his old assistant, Judge
Bryant. Sparks place has to be filed and
this time with Villas filling it, it will certain
ly have an occupant fully in sympathy with
the head of the department. Dickinson's
coming gives cold chills to great many men
in the postoffice department. Dickinson's
strict partisanship, the cool mathematical
way in which he swept the Republicans out
of Office in Michigan and parcelled out the
places for the workers on his side in the
State are quite enough to raise forebedings
in the minds of the "hold-overs." There are
several hundred enjoying more or less lucra-
tive places altogether. The greatest grab
which Michigan men expect to make is the
home postoffice of this city. Frank Conger,
son of the ex-senator from that State, is the
present incumbent, and on all hands 1t is ex-
pected that J. l.. Enright of Detroit, will be
installed very shortly. The Washington of
fee is very large one. Enright is of the
very ordinary class Of politicians, and, in
fact, used to be on the minstrel stage. So
Just at this moment the expectations of
young Democrats in Detroit are large and
growing.
The Fishery commissioners have separated
for the holidays, drawing apart from one an
other to reflect and see il they can do any
xi;.. a., ,,,r,.rae+ o,,xfb th will
out the tangle. MIR. Bayard has done his
best, without even bringing himself up to
the pitch of a square denial to give the i'm
preston that 1t is not much of tangle and
will soon be done away with. But the gen.
eral belief is all the other way. Men who
have kept close run of the negotiations, and
who have had their ears at all the human
key-holes possible, declare that it is such a
tangle as will never be Strengthened out, and
that this withdrawal to the solitudes of Win
nipeg, Canada, and elsewhere, us a move
made out of friendliness to Mr.. Bayard, who
knows very well what he wants but cannot
discover way of bringing it about.
Sir Charles Upper is the important man
Just now.. His mission is undoubtedly to ap-
proach the Canadian government once
more and see if they will yield anything to
the United States. Heretofore his policy
has been, it would seem to refuse to do any,
thing which the United States seemed likely
to accept. The main thing at which the
Canadians fare aiming of course, to be
reached now or later, is means by which
their fish shall come into the United States
free. The matter of the three mile limit,
the bait and ice question is really OF very
small import to them. They have taken 1t
up as the possible handle by which to grasp
the great trade arrangement upon which
they have set their hearts. 1t is, therefore,
not Hon. Joseph Chamberlain who has ap-
peared so much in the light of stumbling
block as the Canadian representative. AND
It is acquaintance with Canadian desires
which now makes all those who are watch
Ing the negotiations so doubtful OF their
reaching successful climax.
There is no doubt that the Democrats are
finding a great deal of internal trouble in
the party, over the surplus reduction scheme.
The fact is, so many of them had their
minds made up to do something both with
the internal revenue and with the tariff, in
the way of reduction before the message
came that they cannot easily be whipped In
TO line. They not only stick out, but some
of them are already declaring that it will be
the shrewdest and best politics to follow the
line marked out by the Sun; leaving the
President to stand by his free trade guns,
and to carry out the scheme they had al
ready outlined, as they assembled before De-
cember began. Their plan at that time, as
stated by the free trade organ of New York
and the administration five days before Mr..
Cleveland spoke, was this: With the special
tobacco taxes repealed, and smoking and
chewing tobacco made free, Sl4, ,ooo.O coo would
be taken from the revenue. A quarter of
the sugar tax would be about S12, 100000.
Wool on the free list would cut off S5,0Oo.0Oo
more, lumber $1,oOO,0Oo. and salt $1,0oO.OOo
or less. This would be total of S33.0O0,00o.
leaving S37, ,O00, COO to be taken from the tariff
list on other articles.
There is great deal of reason to believe
that this policy will still be followed. There
must certainly be some tobacco tax reduction
undertaken il any attempt at all to placate
Randall is made, and among not few OF the
Democrats that desire crops out strongly. 1t
is a mixed up matter at best. VAN.
Daniel Declines for Mrs. Cleveland.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13.--Archille Olivieri,
of Venice, Italy, manufacturer of Venetian
glassware and Mosaic jewelry, recently sent
Mrs. Cleveland jewelled casket made ex-
pressly for her. Yesterday the gift was re-
turned with the following note
EXECUTIVE MANSION.
WASHINGTON, Dec. IL, 1871
To Mr. ArcLiue 0iivieyf:
Dear Sir--Mrs. Cleveland has requested me TO
acknowledge the receipt OF your note OF the Sth
inst and say that she thoroughly appreciated the
courtesy OF your desire that she should possess
the Mosaic Jewel case which you have sent her
II is however, of too much value for her to think
of retaining it, She prefers not to be the recipient
of gifts from other than personal friends. and,
without intending to be at all ungracious, has in
str,lct ed me to return the casket. President and
Mrs Cleveland desire me to thank you for the in
yjtation to view your picture now on exhibition
here, but do not anticipate that II will be con-
venient for them TO do so.
Very respectfully,
Private Secretary TO the President.
Faulkner Gets His Seat.
The Senate committee on privileges and
elections, after bearing the arguments in the
Lucas-Faulkner contest from West Virginia,
hfc off nnt, IN caof